In Sermon Illustrations: "Living For God"

Thank You, God, For Rattlesnakes!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 26, 2023

There was a farmer who had three sons: Ron, Don and Little John. All had their names on the church roll, but none ever attended church or had time for God. Then one day Don was bitten by a rattlesnake. The doctor was called and did all he could to help Don, but the outlook for his recovery was very ...read more

Tags: Judgment, Repentance, Spiritual Fruit, Brokenness, Unfaithfulness, Backsliding, Revival  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

God's Currency

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Mar 19, 2023

Jesus might have asked, when presented with the coin with Caesar's image on it: "Whose image do you bear, whose image is stamped on you?” And the answer would have been - or should - have been: "We are carrying God’s image, we are carrying God’s name.” He coined us in his image. He ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 25:34-40, Matthew 22:19-21

Tags: Coin, Image Of God, Jesus The Stranger, Circulation, Joseph G Donders  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

God Prepares Us For Heaven

Contributed by Guy Glass on May 5, 2023

Dr. Billy Graham tells of a friend of his who went through the Depression in the 1920s, losing a job, a fortune, a wife, and a home. But he was a believer in Jesus Christ, and he tenaciously held to his faith even though he was naturally depressed and cast down by circumstances. One day in the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:10-12

Tags: Persecution, Heaven, Depression

Denomination: Baptist

Thank God For Blessed Subtractions!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jul 10, 2023

Three local pastors were discussing their Easter Sunday results with one another on the Monday after Easter. The Methodist minister said, "Easter services worked out great for us! We gained four new additions at First Methodist!" Praise God! The Baptist preacher grinned ...read more

Tags: Arrogance, Bragging, Preachers, Baptists, Methodists, Pentecostals, Easter, Revival, Church Growth, Pride, Pastors  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The God Who Is Three In One

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jul 17, 2023

The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are mentioned by Jesus in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20). The Trinity is seen clearly at the Baptism of Jesus in Matthew 3. The Father speaks from Heaven. The Son is baptized by John. The Spirit descends upon Jesus to anoint His ministry. The Father is ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:19-20

Tags: Holy Spirit, Son, Trinity, Godhead, Triune, Father  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Are You All Ears For God?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 28, 2024

A missionary translator was endeavoring to find a word for “obedience” in the native language. This was a virtue seldom practiced among the people into whose language he wanted to translate the New Testament. As he returned home from the village one day, he whistled for his dog and it came ...read more

Tags: Obedience, Voice Of God, Hearing God, Listening, Hearers Of The Word  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

So God Made A Farmer

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Apr 6, 2024

In James chapter 5, we see a comparison between the patient farmer in the field waiting for his crops and the waiting believer in Christ preparing to meet the Lord at His return. Paul Harvey did a masterful job of describing the life of the farmer years ago. And on the 8th day, God looked down ...read more

Scripture: James 5:7-12, 1 Thessalonians 5:13-18

Tags: Patience, Return Of Christ, Prophets, Farmers, Waiting, Job, End Times, Prophecy, Second Coming, Last Days, Rapture  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

God's Mercy

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Nov 2, 2024

Henri Nouwen tells the story of a family from Paraguay. The father spoke out against the military regime and its human rights abuses. The police arrested his teenage son and tortured him to death. Enraged townsfolk wanted to turn the boy's funeral into a huge protest march, but the doctor ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:1-18, Romans 5:1-11, Ephesians 2:1-5

Tags: Mercy, Sin, Evil, Salvation, Cross  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Pentecostal

God's Judgement

Contributed by John Bright on Sep 23, 2025

I don’t believe that God’s Judgement should be our main focus, but I also believe it’s wrong to never mention the Judgement of God. Remember, God must judge humanity because “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) Our God is a Holy God who also wants us to be holy. (1 ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 4:5, Romans 3:23, 1 Peter 1:16

Tags: Grace, Holy Spirit, Judgment, Holiness

Denomination: Methodist

God Is Bigger Than Our Box

Contributed by Roger Hasselquist on Mar 20, 2023

(Have 4 boxes of different sizes for illustration) Here is a box. Its a small one. For some people, what they think of God could fit in this box. They have few expectations and limited knowledge of who God is. Here is another box. It is a little larger. Many people would be comfortable ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 3:20-21

Tags: God Is Able, Power Of God, Limiting God, Bigness Of God

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Upon A Life I Did Not Live, Upon A Death I Did ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 8, 2006

"Upon a life I did not live, upon a death I did not die; another’s life, another’s death, I stake my ...read more

Tags: Cross Agony

From August 1975 Thru July 1988 Our Family Lived ...

Contributed by Terry Kemp on Dec 23, 2006

From August 1975 thru July 1988 our family lived in Orange County, Indiana. Once and soon again to be the gambling center of the Hoosier state, Orange County was then stuck in a malaise of poverty. This was evidenced to many visitors by our waste collection service. Rather than setting trash ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Song Lyrics From 33 Miles- Now I'm Living In The ...

Contributed by Davon Huss on Sep 17, 2007

Song lyrics from 33 miles- Now I’m living in the days ahead. I’m already dancing on the streets of gold and I can’t stop celebrating in my soul. I’m living in the days ahead. Nothing on earth could ever compare. Can’t wait for the ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

St. Thomas Aquinas Wrote; €œno Man Can Live ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 27, 2008

St. Thomas Aquinas Wrote; “No man can live without delight, and that is why a man deprived of spiritual joy goes over to evil pleasures”. From Art ...read more

Tags: Money

Let Us So Endeavor To Live Than When We Come To ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

Let us so endeavor to live than when we come to die even the ...read more

Tags: Death

I Have Lived Eighty-Six Years. I Have Watched ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"I have lived eighty-six years. I have watched men climb up to success, hundreds of them, and of all the elements that are important for success, the most important is ...read more

Tags: Faith General

We All Live Under The Same Sky, But We Dont All ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"We all live under the same sky, but we dont all have ...read more

Tags: Leadership General

He Alone Has Lost The Art To Live Who Cannot Win ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

He alone has lost the art to live who cannot ...read more

Tags: Compassion

If I Had My Life To Live Again, I'd Make The ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"If I had my life to live again, I'd make the same ...read more

Tags: Mistakes

Lives Of Great Men All Remind Us We Can Make ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"Lives of great men all remind us We can make our lives sublime, And, departing, leave behind us Footprints on the sands of time; Footprints that perhaps another, Sailing oer lifes solemn main, ...read more

Tags: Human Body